2014: 300lb to Spartan Race - My Journey from Fat to Fit.

Zefan said:
There's not really any doubt that you will be losing muscle mass at a painfully fast rate. This happens to a lot of people when on a calorie defecit even without the complete lack of protein and fats. I seriously suggest ditching the juice diet as quite frankly they are completely rubbish. Juice is absolutely the last thing I would suggest someone looking to lose weight should be consuming. Sure it might work, but there are much easier and more effective (long term and short term) ways to skin this cat.

At this point I would be trying to limit sugar and get your insulin sensitivity back in check. This means fats, protein, lots of veg, careful use of carbs and monitoring of calories. It's a very easy thing to do and will not only be more effective now while making you feel better, but will put you in a much better position to make continued progress.
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Again, thanks for the input, honestly, but you know - telling me to ditch what I'm doing isn't needed. I've been through many years of nutritional research and struggles, which if you see my videos I know what I'm doing and I plan to to stick to it. This whole year is planned to get me into a better place, which took 4 months of planning itself. I'm aware of the things I'm going through, I will lose some muscle, but I have planned to regain that with the continued diet and training. The juicing isn't a diet, it's a fasting phase that starts my plan to change my lifestyle.

One thing I've learned is that everyone has different approaches and very rarely does someone not feel the need to tell me why theirs is better :p I've tried so so many things over the years. Various forms of Keto, Atkins, Paleo, IF, Weightwatchers and Slimming world, My Fitness Pal tracking, VLCDs, eating 7 small meals and bodybuilding diet plans, been to the NHS for various referrals, had Orlistat, Reductil, Gastric Band hypnosis. All whilst doing copious amounts of reading and research. I'm probably a diet expert by now - so please forgive me if I seem tired of everyone pitching their ideas at me. Often (not always) people that have never struggled with their weight and so can't understand the mental challenge that it throws up, because that's entirely the problem. Unlike someone that can't be bothered, I can be bothered - it's just a case of finding the best way for me to cope with it, and this seems to be it.

Plan for this year in brief...

Juice Fast > Whole Foods, Plant-based diet > reintroduce lean meats and avoid gluten (possibly lactose too).

As well as exercising to my ability level
DDP Yoga > Krav Maga > Running > More intense training (considering CrossFit)

I've put as much support and motivation in place as I can.
Blogs > Video diary > Twitter and FB support > Focusing on Spartan Race as a target with best mates and raising money for MS.

I honestly don't see a problem. I know this forum is very weightlifting-centric, which is cool. But I'm not trying to do that yet. I can barely do a press-up!
 
I'd agree with you. Well, the first sentence. But I'm not just drinking fruits, it's 80% vegetables. I'm not liquidising it, I'm juicing it, so I'm fasting. I'm getting soluble fibre, and removing insoluble fibre, so not digested in the same way. So that's several patronising paragraphs about about sugar and fibre I can ignore. You can be blunt, I was and am fat, I say this myself in my videos, I refer to myself as a mess. I know this, so you aren't being edgy or offensive, it's true and I know it. And yes, I disgusted myself, so I imagine some internet gym bunnies would be horrified. Did I say I was running yet? No. I'm running way down the line, when it's appropriate. I'm starting with Yoga for christ sake. Oh and at 15st, you have no idea about being fat.

But you're right. I've failed before and that's why I've not maintained weight loss. That's why I've spent months seriously planning something that I feel I can do for good. I have addictions to terrible food I have to break. I need to kick a lot of bad habits and this is the method I have chosen.

I'm not arguing. There's no point - you've not read the thread, watched any of the videos - just seen 'juice' and gone off on one. If you want to contribute, at least put a a modicum of effort into the posts before yours.
 
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Broken Hope said:
I was over 22st and I'm now just under 12 and a half stone, I know plenty about being fat, I was for over 20 years. I still don't understand what a fad juice diet will do to help you break a bad habit of being addicted to crap food.

Again, why can't you just change your diet to healthy, nutritious food that actually provides you with a balance of macro nutrients?

I know exactly the types of foods you'd be addicted to, I was and if I'm honest still am, in order to lose weight I had to completely cut them out, no cakes, crisps, sweets etc basically anything high in sugar wasn't allowed in the house at all, if it was there it would get eaten.

Even now after almost losing half my body weight, I still have plenty of problems with food, probably always will.

I still don't understand how transitioning through multiple fad diets in a row will actually help you get to a point where you are eating in a way that you can for the rest of your life.
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Well done on that weight loss, impressive :)

The reason I am doing this is to not have these struggles for the rest of my life.

Attaching the word fad to it doesn't mean it's not viable. I've lost weight, plenty of times in fact, between 1-4 stone each time through various attempts, including what you've suggested, but I'm sick of the cycle of eventually putting it back on.

I don't have it in me to explain myself yet again, but the transition from juicing fruit and veg, to eating fruit and veg is a step I feel I can manage and then start looking at introducing more interesting things. I don't see how a massive break from junk and processed food, refined sugars etc and resetting my tastes can be a bad thing. It's not hard to understand how it will help surely?

I know from my past that I fare much better with extremes than small changes so if I start like this, I'm giving myself, personally and individually, the best starting point. Honestly, the juicing is about 5% of my plan for the year as I keep saying. There's nothing unhealthy about following on with a short term plant-based whole foods diet either.
 
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Day 19 - 21lb down (1.5 stones) and feeling good. Managed to sit through friends eating chinese takeaway and pizzas this weekend and stick to my plan so pretty happy with that. Not hungry at all, just dealing with the cravings.

Also been back to the gym to arrange starting Krav Maga and will be starting next Tuesday as I'm away for work this week. Got to buy a groin guard now :p
 
Thanks ^^

Day 22...


Was about to hit buy on my PPE for starting Krav Maga next week... but a friend just popped up on Facebook and said he wants to get me a 6 month sub to LA Fitness for my birthday. Wondering if I should just start with that now as it'll save me £60 a month, although Krav looks awesome.
 
BennyC said:
Makes sense.

How much are you shelling out on PPE for Krav Maga, surely try a few session and see how you like it before buying specific gear for it? unless it's relatively cheap.

(Haven't watched any of your videos as 11mins tl:dw :p)
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Probably circa £50. Groin guard, gloves, shinpads I guess. They aren't all 11 mins :p
 
JOSH86 said:
Congratulations Geek that is a lot of weight loss in not a lot of time. Can I ask how you are finding your energy levels?
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Better than they have been in a long time. I feel more alert and awake, thinking clearer and feel like my vision is better. Hair skin and nails are all in great condition (well, what hair I have left..)

I'm definitely going to have to work on strength if the gym earlier was anything to go by :p but stamina is probably my focus until I'm eating again, then I can do a lot more.
 
JOSH86 said:
I can't imagine doing any form of lifting whilst on a Juice diet, go easy.

Thanks for that, my wife has been on about doing a juice detox for 2 weeks but I was sceptical due to the lack of energy. Might have to give her the go ahead.
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Honestly, I understand the controversy, I really do. The simple fact is she'll be taking in the best bits of a ton of vegetables and fruits and her body will be able to get at all the phytonutrients that sometimes can't be broken down in the body before the whole food is digested.

It sounds mental and it's clearly not for bodybuilders, but for people in my situation it really can't do any harm, it's a way of restricting calorie intake, improving the quality of nutrients entering the body and also a time to change tastes and outlooks on food. It hasn't been easy, almost every day has had some struggles, but I feel great and determined to follow this on in the best possible way. If you have any questions let me know :)

I will say to her, do at least 7-10 days, as the first few are grim. Also, two weeks feels a lot longer than you realise when you say it. I have had many moments when I wish I'd said 30 not 60 days lol, but I'm going for it now, with the possibility of one small vegan meal around my birthday.
 
FrenchTart said:
You really don't seem to want to listen to all the very good advice regarding your diet so I'm not going to repeat everything once more. What you are doing is not the right approach though and is arguably bad for you.

Great work on the shifting of the weight. I just hope that you get the long-term effects you want despite utilising a fad diet approach.
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There's honestly no need with everyone keep saying stuff like this. It's not dangerous. I fully understand what I'm doing and for the umpteenth time, this bit is just my way of getting into a lifelong plan.

There are a ton of ways of dieting and losing weight. I understand fitness fanatics and bodybuilders have their tried and tested methods - but I'm not one of them..
I'm a guy who has had long term food issues and I'm trying to fix that before the rest comes.

I've gone from a diet of utter crap, to vegetables and fruit for a short period, before working on a better lifelong diet and lifestyle. I'm not trying to be a lifter. I just wanted to log here without this stream of hassle really.
 
I'm getting to the point of just letting this thread die out as it's tiresome having to explain myself - especially when most of the answers are elsewhere in the thread.

I thought I could just use this as a log but all I'm getting is people wading in and giving me lessons.

I understand nutrition, I understand counting calories, I understand all of it. Everything. That does not mean I've been able to cope with it in the past, I have problems when it comes to sticking to eating healthier traditionally. Food addictions, emotional eating, portion control - I've always been terrible no matter my intentions. I mean my posts and videos explain everything!

I'm more determined than I have ever been. I've chosen to do this with a lot of research and reading over months. I'm juicing for a short period, then moving to a plant-based whole foods diet (an easy transition from juice) for a month or two and reintroducing other foods such as lean meats, eggs and some dairy over the rest of the year, I have it all planned out. The whole point is to get me eating the great foods that I would have always bypassed in the past and get to a better balance of natural food and heavily reduce processed foods - learn new ways of cooking and meal prep.

I'm doing really well, i'm exercising and I'm feeling healthier than I have in years. It's really tiresome keep explaining myself because it doesn't fit with people's ideas about the best way to do it.

As an individual, as me, I feel I can do this and stick to it, where I've failed in the past. That's the most important thing.

Now PLEASE can we just either let me get on with it without the digs? Otherwise I'll have to just abandon the thread, which would be a shame as I want to prove I can do this. :)
 
Freefaller said:
I don't see any digs, just people offering advice - this is the sports arena and this is a log, on a public forum, people will offer their opinions. You think you know about nutrition but I can guarantee you don't know that much really :)

Eitherway, good luck, just be sure you stay safe, eating good balanced foods and make sure you're not losing out on vital nutrients (which I'm sure you've taken care of) and make sure you get some blood tests done (for lipid profiles, cholesterol, iron and so on - but then again you know all about this too :)) since you're going on an extreme diet.

All the best, and be sure to keep us updated.
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Yeah, went through everything with my GP prior to starting and had bloods done etc and had their full support :)

I'm not claiming anyone is being abusive, but the constant 'what you are doing is wrong' posts are really disheartening when I'm just trying to get on with it and I'm not exactly doing anything dangerous. I also never claimed to know the entire world of nutrition, far from it, but I know and understand plenty. I'm also not some fad-dieting celeb following moron trying to lose 7lb, I've put serious research and effort into this and there's a lot of posts insinuating I'm being foolish, when all I've tried to do is find a way I can personally lose weight, which I know I can do, but more importantly - keep it off.

I will keep posting in the log but I just want everyone to realise 'Yes, I've got the message. It doesn't keep need to be repeated, I'll find my own way there :)
 
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So yesterday I spent the day in London, bit of an early birthday celebration (it's this Thursday) and I said around my birthday I may have a wholesome meal of sorts just so I don't crack as my birthday's are usually big celebratory meals out with friends.

Ended up having a five bean chilli in chiquitos. It looked like a tiny portion but I felt like I'd eaten a bowling ball after about 10 minutes so that was encouraging. It was lovely, but made me realise I can crack on and there's plenty of great things to look forward too. The first vegetarian meal I've ever ordered in my life and it was pretty damn good :)

Back to today then, still hovering around the 25lb lost mark, but I've definitely lost some more inches around my face...

And tonight I did my first session of Krav Maga. Utterly knackering, but awesome fun. I did take a hit in the nose by holding a pad too close to my face, but even that was funny, if painful. Between my Krav membership and my other LA Fitness membership I've got no excuse to get plenty of exercise in and once I'm eating more I can start looking at building some strength.

All in, it's been a contrasting couple of days, but I'm feeling great and determined :)
 
Day 46. Down to 18st 13lb from 21st 2lb. As of yesterday I've moved on to my plant-based diet stage a little earlier than planned due to the amount of exercise I'm doing.

Currently,

Saturday/Sunday/Wednesday - Gym (Bit of cardio, bit of bodyweight resistance, some free weights)

Tuesday/Thursday -Krav Maga

Monday/Friday - Occasional DDP Yoga.

Getting fitter and stronger (although still very weak!) and I've gone from being able to run for 2 minutes without stopping on the treadmill to 10 minutes in a couple of weeks which is nice to see. Feeling very positive and everything is moving in the right direction :)

Day One and Day Forty

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